


The Best Man

by lusthees



Series: The Best Man (Wedding! Minisong) [1]
Category: Cravity (Band)
Genre: !MINISONG CENTRIC!, 00z wedding, Angst, M/M, Romance, Unrequited Love, Weddings, best man minhee, but it's minisong szn, eventual 02z fluff, mogubinists stay winning, sorry minimoists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:40:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24342907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lusthees/pseuds/lusthees
Summary: As he stands on the side of the altar, Minhee can’t help but wish he was Jungmo's groom instead of his best man.
Relationships: Kang Minhee & Koo Jungmo, Kang Minhee/Song Hyeongjun, Koo Jungmo/Seo Woobin
Series: The Best Man (Wedding! Minisong) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906459
Comments: 3
Kudos: 109





	1. Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> i tagged hyeongjun in this but he won't be in this chapter sorry ubidans and minisongersks;lakf

“Do you, Seo Woobin, take Koo Jungmo to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do.”

“Do you, Koo Jungmo, take Seo Woobin to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“Are you seriously asking me that right now?” Jungmo jokes. “Of course I do.”

Minhee chuckles at Jungmo’s little jab. He always loved his best friend’s playful attitude. 

“You may now kiss the groom,” announces the pastor. Jungmo immediately grabs the lapels of Woobin’s suit and pulls him close. His new husband simply laughs at his antics, smiling wide as he leans in to seal their long-lasting future with a heartfelt kiss. 

Minhee awkwardly claps his hands and presses his lips into a forced smile as he watches the lively couple share their first kiss as newlyweds. He should be happy—his best friend is getting married after all. 

But as he stands on the side of the altar, Minhee can’t help but wish he was Jungmo's groom instead of his best man. 

—

“Minhee, there you are!” a voice calls out during the reception. 

Minhee looks up from his meal and turns around to see his best friend’s new husband. 

“Woobin!” Minhee says congenially, plastering on a smile. In all sincerity, Minhee has no hard feelings towards Woobin. He treated Jungmo well the past two years, always painting him canvases of affection, with each new brushstroke being a testament to their relationship. Jungmo was incredibly lucky to find someone as gracious and compassionate as Woobin. Minhee felt incredibly grateful that his best friend ended up with him. 

Even so, a small part of him can’t help but resent Woobin, because he gets to live out Minhee’s now-gone dream of spending the rest of his life with Jungmo. 

“So, it’s official,” Minhee says. “Congratulations, you’re married to Jungmo.” 

“Yeah, I’m married to Jungmo,” Woobin says dreamily, smiling to himself. 

Minhee can’t help but wish he was the one saying that sentence. 

“It’s still hard for me to process. Like, I actually get to spend the rest of my life with him.”

“Both of you are so lucky, I can only imagine.”

 _Because that’s all I can do at this point:_ imagine. 

“Anyway, I was hoping you could give us a toast?” Woobin suggests, “A quick speech, perhaps?”

“Oh, I’m not really one for speeches.”

“Please? I’m sure Jungmo would appreciate it. After all, you’re his best man.”

_And that’s all I am to him._

“So, what do you say?” asks Woobin. “For Jungmo?”

Despite his reluctance, Minhee nods his head in agreement and gets on the stage a few minutes later. 

“Hello, hello, is this thing on?” he says into the mic, catching the attention of the rest of the guests. “Okay, cool, I’ll take that as a sign that it is.”

“To be transparent,” he begins, “I didn’t really prepare anything for this speech. I know, I know, _worst_ best man ever. But hey, Woobin asked me to say something, and it’s his night, after all, so I might as well conjure up a last-minute speech.” He scans the room, making eye contact with the other attendees until his eyes land on Jungmo and his groom.

“First off, congratulations!” he says to the couple. “You two found the one thing that everyone in this room has spent their whole lives chasing: _true love._ The love, compassion, and trust you have for each other is unimaginable. But, you two are living proof that it’s possible to find true love. You know, I always did believe in soulmates.”

_I always believed mine was Jungmo._

“Gosh, Jungmo’s gonna kill me as soon as I get off the stage,” Minhee chuckles, “But Woobin, he was actually dead-set on marrying you right from the beginning.” The memory suddenly flashes in his mind, and Minhee can feel himself slipping away from the present and back into the past. 

_“I’ve met someone,” Jungmo said dreamily._

_“Oh,” Minhee responded ambivalently, “Tell me about him.”_

_“How do I even begin to describe Seo Woobin!” sighed Jungmo, completely wonderstruck by the thought of his new lover. “Well, we started off as co-workers at the marketing department for the company we work at. During one of our larger projects, we had to pull a lot of all-nighters and spend time outside of the office to get it done._

_Eventually, we were spending so much time together that our work-related meet-ups became more platonic._

_As I got to know him, I realized how comfortable I felt around him. Our personalities and interests meshed so well together. Our times together would always go so quickly because we’d just spend hours and hours talking._

_Then, he asked me out. We went on our first date the other weekend, and, Minhee, remember when I told you about my dream date?”_

_“You guys had dinner on a yacht?” Minhee questioned, recalling the fantasy Jungmo raved to him about years ago._

_“Yes! Can you believe it? I had never even told him about my dream date, and when I asked how he knew, he just said it seemed like something I’d enjoy.”_

_“He sounds perfect,” Minhee said solemnly, trying to hide his disappointment._

_“I think I want to marry him,” Jungmo admitted unexpectedly._

_“M-Marry?” stammered a shocked Minhee. “You just started dating the guy!”_

_“I know, I know,” Jungmo said. “But Minhee, have you ever met someone, and you can just see your future play out with them by your side?”_

_“Yes.”_

I felt that way when I first met you.

_“That’s how I feel whenever I’m with Woobin.”_

_“So, you’re dead set on marrying him?”_

_“Well, it’s only been a few months, but that doesn’t mean I don’t fantasize about him walking down the aisle.”_

_“I’m-I’m happy for you.”_

_“Thank you. Hey, can you promise me something?”_

_“Anything for you.”_

_“When I get married—whether it be with Woobin or someone else I cross paths with—will you promise to be my best man?”_

He’s not even considering me as a potential future groom. That’s all I am to him:

a best man.

_“I promise.”_

“As I was saying,” Minhee says as he forces himself to snap back to the present, “Jungmo and Woobin getting married was never out of the question. After all, they’re _perfect_ for each other.” Minhee chokes on his last sentence, unable to accept the truth to his own words. 

He hates seeing Jungmo with someone else, but even then, he can’t deny how well they fit together, like two halves of a heart finally being stitched into a whole piece. 

“I always thought I was the person who knew Jungmo the best,” he continues. “But I think Woobin’s about to take my spot.”

_He already did._

“I’m convinced Woobin knows Jungmo better than Jungmo knows himself. When Jungmo and I first became friends, he always told me what his dream date was: dinner on a yacht and sipping glasses of expensive chardonnay while looking at the moon reflected over the waters. And Woobin? He made that little dream of Jungmo’s come true. Jungmo didn’t even plant the idea in his mind. Woobin just knew it would be something Jungmo would appreciate. He just knew who Jungmo was.”

“That was only the first dream of Jungmo’s that he was able to bring to life. Tonight, Woobin brought another one of his dreams to life.”

_And he crushed mine in the process._

That’s when Minhee starts tearing up. 

“Gosh, I don’t even know why I’m crying right now,” Minhee laughs cynically, quickly wiping his tears with his fingers. “I-I guess, I just never thought I’d see this day come.”

_But now it’s here. Now the day is here, and now Jungmo is married, and now any delusions I had about spending my life with him have evaporated before my eyes._

“I love you, Jungmo,” he says suddenly, looking his best friend straight in the eye. “I-I love you so much. And all I can hope for is that Woobin will spend the next years loving you just as much as I love you. I kept my promise to you, and I hope he’ll do the same as you two begin your lives as husbands.”

Woobin holds his pinky up to Minhee, silently promising to cherish his new husband for the rest of his life. It should comfort Minhee, knowing that Jungmo is with someone who loves him dearly, but the small gesture makes him want to break down on the stage. The subtle pinky promise is just another reminder that Minhee has lost Jungmo. There’s nothing else he can do except for dwell and—

“Drink!” Minhee blurts out. “I need a drink! So, enough with the sappy speeches, and let’s get back to celebrating!” The other guests chuckle and cheer at his closing statement as he hops off the stage. He picks up his pace, automatically heading towards the bar, but before he can make it to the wooden counter, someone places his hand on his shoulder. Minhee turns around, and his breath stops when he faces the man of the hour.

“That was great,” compliments Jungmo. “Although, you exposing me in front of everyone was pretty uncalled for.”

“Hey, it was funny!”

“I guess so; I always did love your witty humor and natural charm.”

“I-I just said what I felt needed to be said,” Minhee says, letting out a forced laugh. “Including the part about needing a drink.” _Because after tonight, I’m definitely going to need_ a lot _of alcohol._

“You go do that,” Jungmo laughs, playfully punching Minhee in the arm. “Oh, and thanks, by the way.”

“For what?”

“For keeping your promise and being my best man.”

_Why couldn’t I be your groom instead?_

“Of course. Can I go get a drink now?”

“Right, sorry for holding you back,” Jungmo chuckles, shaking his head at Minhee’s urgency. Minhee attempts to depart once again, but Jungmo pulls him close into a tight hug. 

“I love you, too, by the way.”

Those last few words ring in Minhee’s ears, painfully piercing them like a high-pitched alarm. Before Jungmo can say any more to him, he’s pushing his best friend off of him and running off to the bar to drown away his sorrows and regret.

Maybe it was his fault, he thought to himself as the first sip of soju slid down his throat. 

Maybe he should have confessed to Jungmo. Maybe he should have protested against the wedding. Maybe he should have told Jungmo to not marry Woobin, and marry him instead. 

Maybe when the pastor called for any objections, he should have spoken up, ran towards Jungmo, grabbed his hand, and confessed right then and there, instead of biting his lip and standing still, forever holding his peace. 

Maybe he should have told Jungmo he loved him long before Woobin even entered his life. Maybe then he and Jungmo would’ve started dating. Maybe then they would have fallen in love and done all the idealistic domestic stuff Minhee always dreamt about, like moving in together or raising a family. Maybe then Jungmo would have proposed to Minhee. Maybe then he would be the groom instead. Maybe then he wouldn’t be stuck as the best man, forced to stand on the stage and bullshit his way through a speech while having to look at his lover and his new husband in the eye. 

Maybe then things would be different.

But Minhee didn’t do any of those things, so the only thing he can do now is spend the rest of the reception drinking the night away and hoping tomorrow’s hangover will hurt more than the heartbreak.


	2. Engagement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To Hyeongjun, it was comforting knowing that Minhee was staying the night. It was comforting knowing that when they woke up, there would be another person to fill in the empty chair at his kitchen table and the empty hole in his heart.

“You can get through this,” Hyeongjun mutters to himself as he looks in the mirror and pulls his tie into a clean knot. “I don’t know why you always make a fuss about work.”

_You know why._

“Bartending isn’t even that hard.”

_It’s not bartending that’s hard, and you know that._

“It’s just a wedding reception. Besides, you don’t even know any of the people there.”

_That still doesn’t change the fact that you’ll be forced to watch some couple dance the night away while you’re stuck by yourself._

It’s times like this when Hyeongjun wants to punch through the glass and attack his own reflection.

Once he’s dressed and ready, he grabs his coat and keys and prepares to head out to work. On his way out the door, he passes through the kitchen, quickly glancing at his dining table.

Two chairs. 

One of them is always empty.

“One day,” Hyeongjun sighs to himself. “One day.”

—

Hyeongjun can sort every single wedding reception speech he’s heard into three different categories.  


The first type of speech was the “I’ve never given a speech before in my life, so I’m literally making this up as I go.” Sometimes they were amusing, sometimes they were an embarrassment. Hyeongjun didn’t really care for these kinds of speeches, much like how the person reciting the actual speech didn’t care. 

The second category was the “You are making the biggest mistake of your life, but it’s your wedding, so I’m going to be civil about it, but my _God,_ I can’t _wait_ to give you ‘I told you so,’” speech. This one was his personal favorite. The passive-aggressive nature always amused him. It temporarily distracted him from the fact that he, once again, wasn’t the one celebrating a marriage.

His least favorite speech was the final category: the overly sappy “I love you so guys so, so much, and I want nothing but the best for you guys!”

These speeches were okay, but most of them recycled the same structure and mushy-gushy words about heartfelt bullshit that made Hyeongjun want to down the drinks he was preparing. Part of his distaste was because the fake sweetness and overdramatic tears were too much for his liking.

But mostly it was because it was another reminder that yet _another_ couple found the one thing he had spent the last few years failing to find. 

The speech he just witnessed from the best man was different. It had the elements of the last type of speech, with some aspects of the “bullshit” speech sprinkled throughout. But, there was something peculiar about the way he went about it. The best man almost seemed regretful. It wasn’t that he seemed to regret agreeing to give to a speech; he seemed to regret something much deeper than the audience would ever know. His speech had this air of longingness and desperation and—

“Hit me.”

Speak of the devil. Minutes after completing his speech, the best man was seated at the bar asking for a drink.

“What are you in the mood for?” asks Hyeongjun.

“Just plain soju should do the job,” the best man answers. There’s an urgency to his voice: an urgency to get alcohol in his system.

Hyeongjun nods and reaches for a fresh bottle underneath the counter.

“That was some speech,” he says as he grabs the bottle opener. 

“Fuck off,” the best man says bitterly.

“Fine,” Hyeongjun says as he holds the drink out of reach. “You can spend the rest of the night sober then.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. I just _really_ need a drink right now.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” Hyeongjun pops the cap off the bottle of soju before sliding it towards the best man.

“Thanks—uh—”

“Hyeongjun.”

“Thanks for the drink, Hyeongjun.”

Hyeongjun gives him an apathetic shrug. “It’s my job.” 

_It’s my job to just stay at this counter passing out drinks while I watch yet another couple celebrate their happily ever after._

_It’s my job to be surrounded by reminders that once this is all over, I’ll head back home by myself and sleep alone tonight._

The lights go down, and colorful rays of light begin bouncing off the walls as the band starts to play their set. Guests get up from their tables, swarming the dance floor with exhilaration. 

“Are you gonna go dance?” 

The best man glances at the ballroom momentarily. His eyes are fixated on the newly-weds outlandishly dancing like a pair of grandpas. 

As he watches them, he brings the opening of the bottle closer to his lips then chugs the remaining liquor in one go.

“Another one,” he demands, slamming the empty glass bottle on the wooden counter. Hyeongjun complies and slides him another drink. Like the first bottle, the best man downs the alcohol in one go. When Hyeongjun thinks he’s _finally_ done drinking, one of the grooms, Woobin, approaches him.

“Minhee!” he exclaims, grabbing his shoulders and energetically shaking him around. “Jungmo and I were looking for you! Are you going to dance or not?”

“I’ll be there!” Minhee says, forcing out a light laugh. His smile immediately falls when he turns back to Hyeongjun. 

“One more?” asks Hyeongjun, already grabbing another bottle from under the counter.

“Please.” 

Minhee requests for more drinks, but after the third bottle, Hyeongjun refuses to serve him.

“No more,” he says adamantly.

“C’mon,” whines a now-wasted Minhee. 

“Why don’t you go dance?”

“No dance. Drink only.”

“Don’t tell me you’re not going to dance at a wedding.”

“I want—I don’t want to dance,” says Minhee, slurring his words together. “More drinks.”

“If I give you any more, your liver’s going to explode. Besides, the grooms are waiting for you.”

“I don’t even have a person—like—a second people— _person_ —that you dance with?”

“A _partner?”_

“Yeah. I don’t have a panther to dance with.”

“Christ, I gave you too much to drink,” groans Hyeongjun.

“More?”

“No. Go dance.”

“I can’t dance without—without partner.”

Hyeongjun checks his watch and signals his co-worker. “I’m going to take my break now.”

“What are you doing?” asks a confused Minhee.

“You said you didn’t have a partner,” Hyeongjun says as he hops over the bar. “Well, now you do.”

“No!” Minhee whines, scrunching up his nose.

“Come on, up you go!” Hyeongjun grabs onto Minhee’s hands and pulls him towards the center of the dancefloor. The strobe lights are spinning all around the violet-colored room, and guests move and let the energy of the music take control.

Hyeongjun tries to get Minhee to move, but the latter keeps stumbling and struggles to find his balance. But, Hyeongjun is stubborn, and he’s determined to get Minhee to dance, even if it means forcing him. 

So Hyeongjun holds clutches onto his hands even tighter, spinning Minhee around and twirling him to the beat of the music. 

“I think I’m gonna—I’m gonna—”

That’s when Minhee hunches over and vomits all over Hyeongjun’s shoes.

“Minhee, oh my gosh!” cries out Jungmo, rushing towards his friend. “Hey, are you alright? Let’s get you some water, alright?” He holds onto a nearly blacked-out Minhee and escorts him away.

Embarrassed by the scene, Hyeongjun leaves the dancefloor and rushes to the bathroom to clean himself up.

He forcefully pushes the bathroom door open, and he’s face-to-face with his reflection. 

Once again, Hyeongjun finds himself wanting to punch the mirrored image mocking him on the other side of the glass. 

“What were you thinking!?” Hyeongjun berates himself. “Dancing with the best man? What, you thought you’d finally fall in love or something!? Christ, Hyeongjun, have some common fucking sense for once!”

He feels utterly pathetic after the whole ordeal. Not to mention his shoes _reek_ of alcohol and sour vomit. 

After he cleans up, he heads back to the bar to finish up the last hour of his shift. At least most of the guests are drunk, meaning the bar will be closing up soon, and Hyeongjun can head home. 

Alone, obviously.

That final hour seems to drag on for eternity. Hyeongjun just feels worse and worse as he continues to watch the guests dance the night away. Jungmo and Woobin are slow-dancing, with Woobin’s head resting into his husband’s chest. They seem to be in their own romantic bubble, practically floating above the rest of the world.

_I wonder what it feels like to levitate._

Finally, he’s able to close up the bar, and he packs his things as quickly as possible so he can head home as soon as possible. 

Of course, he’s derailed by a voice calling out to him in the hallway.

“Hyeo—Hyeong—Hey, Hyeongjun!” Minhee hiccups, barely able to walk straight.

“Minhee?” asks a perplexed Hyeongjun. “What are you doing out here?”

“I wanna—home. Home, I wanna go there now.”

“Do you have a ride?”

“Me.”

“You drove yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, there is no way in hell you’re driving yourself back home in this state.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“Those will be your last words if you don’t find some other way home. What’s your address? I’ll call a cab for you.”

“I live—I live over by—uh—by the—the—you know?”

Hyeongjun sighs and tightly clutches Minhee’s arm to keep him from falling. “C’mon. I’ll let you spend the night.”

—

Carrying a wasted, 185-centimeter-tall man is easier said than done, but, somehow, Hyeongjun managed to drag a sloppy Minhee all the way from his parked car to his apartment. 

“My legs hurt!” whines Minhee after collapsing on the bed.

“You think _your_ legs hurt?” pants an exasperated Hyeongjun. “I had to walk you all the way from my car up to the fourth floor!”

“My legs feel like jelly!”

Even though he had been an absolute pain in the ass this entire night, Hyeongjun couldn’t help but find Minhee’s drunk antics endearing. He chuckled as he ruffled Minhee’s dark, messy hair.

He leaned in and fixated on Minhee’s features for a while. Obviously, his hair had been styled, and he was wearing some make-up for the special occasion. But, Hyeongjun found him to be physically enchanting. Everything about his features was perfect, and Hyeongjun couldn’t help himself from leaning in closer to count every freckle. 

He knew he was delusional, but he couldn’t help himself. Something about Minhee staying over made the night a little less shitty.

Hyeongjun was used to spending his nights alone, waking up alone, and eating breakfast alone.

To Hyeongjun, it was comforting knowing that Minhee was staying the night. It was comforting knowing that when they woke up, there would be another person to fill in the empty chair at his kitchen table and the empty hole in his heart. 

“Don’t worry about when you wake up,” he whispered gently into Minhee’s ear as he continued playing with his hair. “I, for one, have the _perfect_ hangover cure. I’ll take care of you, okay?” 

Minhee gave him a soft smile, which was enough to trigger Hyeongjun to lean in closer and plant a kiss as light as air on his forehead. 

_Why did you do that?!_

_Why would you kiss someone you literally met two hours ago!_

“Anyway,” Hyeongjun says awkwardly, “You stay in my room for the rest of the night. Do you need anything else?”

“Jungmo,” murmurs Minhee. “I need Jungmo.”

“Uh—as in the groom?”

“Yeah. I need him.”

“Do you want me to call him?” asks Hyeongjun as he reaches for Minhee’s phone.

“No! Don’t do that!” Minhee yells. He vigorously sits up to yank his phone out of Hyeongjun’s hand. _“No_ calling Jungmo!”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m in love with him!” Minhee blurts out.

Hyeongjun’s heartbeat stops at the revelation, and he sits back down on the bed next to Minhee. “Huh, that’s a new one,” Hyeongjun murmurs, reaching for Minhee’s hand. “That explains the speech and the copious amounts of alcohol.” 

“Are you making fun of me!” pouts Minhee. 

“No, no, no, I’m not!” reassures Hyeongjun as he strokes the back of his thumb. “It’s just—I’m sorry. It must hurt, huh?”

Minhee quietly looks down and squeezes Hyeongjun’s hand tighter. “I just wanted to be the one getting married tonight, that’s all.”

_Boy, does that sound familiar._

Hyeongjun impulsively pulls him into a tight hug, which Minhee immediately reciprocates. He’s silent, but Hyeongjun can feel his breath hitch as he buries his face into his shoulder and releases the tears he’s been holding back all night.

“What do I do now?” Minhee cries quietly.

“I don’t—I can’t answer that.”

“Should I have told him?”

“I don’t know. But there’s nothing you can do now. He’s married.”

Minhee pulls Hyeongjun even closer and continues sobbing into his shoulder. 

“It hurts. It hurts so much.”

“I know. I know.”

“How do I make it stop?”

“Minhee, look at me,” Hyeongjun says as he releases. “There’s someone out there for you. I know you were hoping that someone would be Jungmo, but it doesn’t mean you’re destined to be alone forever. It seems hopeless right now; trust me, I would know. But, you just have to wait and hope it’ll happen someday. Some day, you’ll find someone.”

Minhee doesn’t answer. He simply nods in response before yawning and collapsing on the bed. Hyeongjun rearranges his pillows and blankets, helping him settle down and fall asleep.

“Goodnight, Minhee,” he whispers as he brushes Minhee’s messy hair out of his face. 

Before Hyeongjun can head to the living room, Minhee grabs onto his arm and pulls him closer, closing the space between them. His eyes look wistful, and he sleepily murmurs five words that push Hyeongjun off the edge: 

“Hyeongjun, will you marry me?”


	3. Marriage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That’s another thing Hyeongjun noticed. When he was by himself, silence was unbearable, and all it did was remind him of how lonely and unloved he was. 
> 
> With Minhee around, silence was something he could luxuriate in. Somehow, Minhee had a way of making him feel wanted without having to say a single word.

_[present]_

“Hyeongjun, will you marry me?” asks a wide-eyed Minhee, slurring his words together.

“What did you just say?” Hyeongjun feels his entire body shut down, and if Minhee wasn’t grabbing onto him so tightly, he would’ve fallen over in shock.

“Will you marry me?” he repeats a little softer. “You’ll marry me, right, Hyeongjun?”

Hyeongjun vigorously pulls away, stepping back from him and towards the door, barely keeping his balance. “Get some sleep.” 

“Hyeongjun?”

“Good night, Minhee.” Before the situation can get any more awkward, he leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

_What._

_The._

_Fuck._

Hyeongjun remains pressed against the closed door, breathing heavily as he tries to wrap his head around the unexpected question.

_No, he’s drunk off his ass. He didn’t mean it._

_He couldn’t have meant it._

_We’re not getting married anytime soon._

That night, Hyeongjun lies awake for hours, replaying the proposal in his mind and wondering what would happen if he actually said yes. 

—

_[future]_

“What kind of ring were you considering?” 

“Something that’ll make him say yes.”

“Sir, you’re going to have to be more specific than that.”

“A simple ring then, nothing too extravagant. He likes the simple things in life.”

For a moment, the salesperson ponders before nodding and selecting one of the rings locked behind the glass case on display. She shows it to him, awaiting his approval. 

It’s modest, yet elegant: two silver bands wrapped around each other to form an infinity shape, with a small diamond placed where the loops intersect.

“It’s perfect,” he sighs in awe. 

—

_[present]_

At the start of last night, Hyeongjun was thrilled to have Minhee over, and the thought of cooking breakfast for two excited him.

After the drunken proposal, that anticipation was quickly replaced with dread. Hyeongun was dreading for Minhee to wake up and ask him about the following night's events and encounters.

Even so, he still rolls off the couch that morning to prepare their breakfast.

 _Their_ breakfast. It felt weird to say that. 

Today’s meal wasn’t exquisite cuisine—just some eggs with tomato and spinach. Nevertheless, Hyeongjun still found himself enjoying cooking breakfast for two. 

Surprisingly, Minhee got up pretty early, considering it was nearly midnight when Hyeongjun took him home. Despite his early awakening, it’s clear the alcohol from last night has kicked in. He’s still wearing last night’s clothes, except his once polished and crisp suit is now an unmanageable, wrinkled mess. His dark eyes can barely keep themselves open as he groggily stumbles out of the bedroom and into the dining area. Once he’s settled at the kitchen table, he immediately groans in pain, rubbing his temples and cursing himself for drinking too much last night. 

His head feels like it’s about to rupture. He’s so exhausted that it doesn’t even occur to him that he’s in a complete stranger’s apartment until he spots Hyeongjun bringing two plates and a green smoothie from the kitchen. 

“This isn’t my apartment,” he mumbles, darting his droopy eyes around.

“Nope,” Hyeongjun answers as he slides the plate of eggs and smoothie towards him. 

“This is your place?”

“Correct.”

“I spent the night?”

“Nothing happened between us last night if that’s what you’re concerned about,” Hyeongjun says as he takes a seat across from him. “Actually, that’s a lie, _some_ stuff happened between us last night, but why don’t you eat your breakfast before we get into all of that?”

Minhee’s stomach rumbles loudly, and it occurs to him he hasn’t eaten since the reception. He takes a bite of his breakfast, giving Hyeongjun a satisfactory thumbs-up as he enjoys the home-cooked meal.

“There’s also ibuprofen in the kitchen cabinet if you need it,” Hyeongjun adds on. “That green drink is your hangover cure, by the way. It tastes _terrible_ , but trust me, this smoothie is a tried and true remedy, and it should alleviate the headache just like _that.”_

Minhee nods before taking a sip, instantly grimacing at the drink’s bitter flavor. “God, that tastes disgusting.”

“Told ya!” Hyeongjun says matter-of-factly. 

“My headache better be gone after this!” Minhee whines. He scrunches his nose, and Hyeongjun finds his disgusted expression so adorable that the dread he felt minutes ago dissipates. 

“I can assure you it will.”

“How’d you know I’d be so messed-up this morning?” 

“I was the bartender at last night’s wedding.”

“Ah, I recognize you now. Hyeongjun, right?”

“Mhm,” Hyeongjun says as he reaches out his hand. “Song Hyeongjun.”

Minhee reciprocates the handshake as he introduces himself. “Kang Minhee. So, you served me all those drinks?”

“Well, I capped it after three bottles of soju, but yeah.”

“Holy shit, I drank _how_ much last night?”

“Enough that you threw up, had to crash at my place, then proposed to me,” explains Hyeongjun, and Minhee chokes on his drink and spits it back into the glass. 

“I did _what?!”_

“All three of those things.”

“In one night?”

“In two hours, actually.”

A flustered Minhee buries his now-red face in his hands as he curses himself once again. 

“You don’t remember any of it, do you?” Hyeongjun teases.

“The throwing-up part sounds vaguely familiar,” mutters Minhee, “But I can’t recall anything after that.”

“Then here’s a somewhat brief summary: after you threw up—all over my shoes, may I add—Jungmo took you aside and helped you clean up. After my shift, I found you wandering around the venue’s hallway. You insisted on driving home, and in your state, there was absolutely no way you’d make it there alive. Of course, you were also too intoxicated to relay your address to me, thus making me unable to call you a cab, so I figured I might as well let you spend the night.”

Hyeongjun considers mentioning that he kissed him on the forehead. However, he figured Minhee was shocked enough by last night’s chain of events, so he conveniently leaves it out. 

“And what about the part where I proposed?” Minhee questions reluctantly, already cringing at his intoxicated actions. 

“Right, that! Well, as I was tucking you into bed, you suddenly grabbed my arm and asked me to marry you,” Hyeongjun explains.

“You’re kidding,” groans Minhee. 

“I’m not. But if I were, it’d make quite a funny story, wouldn’t it?”

Minhee pinches his temples again and quickly glances at the green smoothie. He grabs the glass chugs the rest of the drink in one go, just like he did the previous night with those three soju bottles. 

Hyeongjun stares at him. “Everything alright?”

“Sorry,” coughs Minhee, “Hearing all the dumb shit I did last night intensified my headache, so I downed the rest of the smoothie. You did say it was a tried-and-true remedy after all.” He coughs some more, pumping his fist against his chest to clear his throat. “Ugh, do you not have any better tasting hangover cures?”

“Sadly, no. It’s either you put up with that killer headache and exhaustion or deal with the unpleasant taste.”

“Honestly, I think I’d take the headache,” Minhee says, and Hyeongjun laughs.

They don’t talk much after that, but the silence between them isn’t awkward. It’s almost comforting, and despite being strangers, neither of them feel tense around each other. 

“So, what now?” asks Minhee after devouring his entire breakfast. 

“Well, once you’re ready, I can drive you back to the venue so you can pick up your car and head home,” Hyeongjun says. 

“Sounds good. Just give me a few minutes to wash up.”

Hyeongjun points him to the bathroom's direction, and Minhee gets up to go prepare for the day. 

“By the way,” he says before leaving the kitchen, “Thanks for taking care of me.” 

Breakfast ends as quickly as it started, and just like that, the apartment is uncomfortably quiet again. 

First encounters are bittersweet, Hyeongjun realizes as he clears the table. Most don’t progress any further than the initial meeting, and goodbyes are inevitable.

Minhee leaving is inevitable. 

He forces himself to come to terms with this as he washes the dishes. All evidence of their short breakfast together gets rinsed away and washed down the drain. 

“Hyeongjun, we have a problem,” Minhee says frantically as he bursts into the kitchen a few minutes later.

“Another one?” Hyeongjun asks as he continues drying the dishes. 

“I know, I know! I’m a mess!” Minhee cries out. “But the venue called. They said they towed my car last night. Unfortunately, the company is closed for the weekend, so I won’t be able to pick up my car until tomorrow morning, and…”

“And?”

“My apartment keys were in my car, so I won’t be able to go home either,” he admits.

“Is this your way of asking to spend the rest of the weekend here?” Hyeongjun says nonchalantly, not even realizing what he just asked until seconds later.

“Maybe.”

Hyeongjun looks over his shoulder, and Minhee is pouting, looking clearly guilty yet somehow cutely innocent. 

“If it’s too much trouble, I can just stay at a hotel,” he says sheepishly. 

Logically, it would make more sense for Minhee to stay at a hotel instead of a stranger’s apartment, but Hyeongjun can’t help it.

The thought of him spending the night again comforts him.

“No, don’t worry about it. Stay.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. It’s nice having someone sitting on the other end of the kitchen table.”

—

_[future]_

“I have something to ask you.”

“Whatever it is, no.”

“You didn’t even hear what I was going to say!”

“Knowing you, it's probably a terrible idea. Don’t think I forgot about what happened when I agreed to go bungee jumping with you last year!”

“You were fine!”

“I could have died!”

“Just hear me out, please? I’m serious.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

“Two years ago, I was the best man at your wedding.”

“Yeah, and you got so wasted that you threw up all over the dance floor.”

“Can you stop bringing that up!”

“I’ll be reminding you until the day you die.”

“Anyway, I’d like you to return the favor. Minus the throwing up part.”

“You’re getting married?”

“Well, not yet, but I’d like to.”

“So, you finally got the courage to propose, huh?”

“Shut up, I’m actually really nervous about it.”

“The worst that can happen is he says no.”

“Gee, thanks. That’s so reassuring.”

“It’s going to be okay. He won't say no, there’s no way he will.”

“Stop, you might jinx it!”

“If he does say no, I’ll be having a _very_ long talk with him.” 

“Well, before you do, let’s continue _our_ talk, shall we? Anyway, how did you feel when you proposed to him?”

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t shaking the whole time before. Don’t you dare tell him, but I nearly passed out on the subway ride to our date from how nervous I was. But, I knew he’d say yes no matter what, especially since we had already established that we were ready to commit to each other.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“What made you decide to suddenly propose?”

“Nothing in particular. I just looked at him one morning and realized, _this is something I want to do._ Plus, he keeps dropping obvious hints about it. He even told me his ring size, ‘just in case.’”

“Classic.”

“I thought it was cute. It’s nice to know he’s also been thinking about marriage. I’m ready now, and I just want to be able to cherish him forever.” 

“Look at you, settling down! I can’t wait to be the best man at your wedding.”

“You’ll do it?”

“Of course I will. _Including_ the throwing up part.”

“You are the absolute worst.”

“According to you, I’m your _best_ man.”

“Don’t be so cheeky about it.”

“Hey, I’m just as excited as you are. Don’t fret so much about the wedding. I’ll be right there, standing at the side of the altar.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

—

_[present]_

“Sorry if those pants are too short.” Hyeongjun looks Minhee up and down, stifling a giggle when he notices that the jeans he lent him end above his ankles. “You’re a lot taller than me, after all.”

“I’m a lot taller than a lot of people, so no worries,” Minhee chuckles. “Thanks again for the clothes. There’s no way I’d survive the rest of the day wearing that suit.”

“I mean, it _suits_ you.”

_Hey, note to self, Song Hyeongjun? Learn to shut up for once!_

Hyeongjun winces at his pathetic pun, but Minhee laughs out loud anyway, eyes crinkling with amusement. It sounds genuine and doesn’t seem forced or pitiful in the slightest. Either he was a brilliant actor, or he had the worst sense of humor and found any intolerable joke hilarious. 

“How’s your head?” Hyeongjun asks.

“As detestable as that smoothie was,” says Minhee, “I have to hand it to you. My head feels fine now, thanks!”

“What can I say? Years of bartending have made me the Master of Hangover Cures.”

“Pretty sure that’s not a thing.”

“It totally is.”

“Anyway, now that I’m dressed, what’s the plan for today?” Minhee asks.

“I didn’t have anything in particular planned,” Hyeongjun says, thinking it over. “Then again, I didn’t really plan on you staying for the rest of the weekend. Why are you asking, did you have something in mind?”

“Not really. I just figured we might as well do something today.”

“Well, I was planning on spending my Sunday afternoon running errands and getting groceries for the rest of the week, but—”

“Alright, I’ll tag along with you.”

“There’s no need. You should stay here and get some rest.”

“I really don’t mind.”

“It’s just groceries. Nothing special.”

“It’s better than spending the day by myself.”

Hyeongjun feels a sharp pang in his chest. The statement is general, yet he knows exactly what Minhee means by it. That feeling is all too familiar, and he sympathizes with it dearly. He glances up towards Minhee, noticing a glint of longingness in his eyes: a longing to be comforted and taken care of.

A longing to not be left alone. 

“We’ll leave in ten minutes,” Hyeongjun announces. 

Soon after, they’re at the grocery store picking out ingredients for tonight’s dinner. 

“I’m just saying,” Minhee says as they stroll down the produce aisle, “I’m sure there’s _plenty_ of better-tasting hangover cures out there.”

“I thought you said it worked!” Hyeongjun says defensively. 

“It did,” Minhee answers honestly. “But that doesn’t make it any more appetizing! Your smoothie tastes like a spicy lemon mixed with the world’s saddest salad and a sprinkle of rubber and raw chicken!”

“And how would you know what that tastes like?”

“Just listing descriptions to prove a point.”

“It’s literally just a kale smoothie with some fruit and honey.”

“It still tastes bad.”

“Who do you think you are, critiquing _me,_ the Master of Hangover Cures!” Hyeongjun rebukes.

“If you were such a master, you would’ve found a better tasting hangover cure by now!” Minhee fires back. 

“Like you could make a better tasting smoothie,” snorts Hyeongjun.

Minhee’s face lights up, and a mischievous grin appears on his face. “Challenge accepted.”

“I wasn’t challenging you!” Hyeongjun rebuttals.

“Why?” Minhee taunts. “You’re scared I’ll take away your title?”

“Oh, you’re going there, aren’t you!”

“Maybe.”

“Challenge accepted, Kang Minhee,” Hyeongjun declares with utmost determination. “Let’s set some ground rules: five ingredients max and no adding store-bought drinks! Absolutely no cheating will be tolerated!”

“I won’t need to cheat,” Minhee says with a cocky expression.

Hyeongjun glares at him as he grabs an orange from the aisle and places it in his bag. “There’s my first ingredient. Game on.”

The two become so focused on picking out the perfect fixings for the perfect smoothie that they almost forget to buy the essential ingredients they needed for tonight’s dinner. It’s not until they’re in line for check-out when Hyeongjun audibly gasps and rushes back to the aisles after realizing he forgot to grab chicken and vegetables for tonight’s soup. 

Afterward, the two spend the afternoon minding each other’s business. Hyeongjun is doing chores around the apartment when he notices Minhee lazily sprawled across his couch and flipping through various TV channels. 

“Someone’s getting comfortable,” Hyeongjun jokes.

Flustered, Minhee immediately gets up and sits up straight. “Sorry, bad habit!” he says sheepishly.

“I was kidding! Make yourself at home, I mean it!”

A few hours later, and it’s time to prepare dinner and the smoothies for their intense and heated battle. Minhee insists on helping Hyeongjun cook the chicken and soup, but right away, it’s clear that he’s never cooked a meal in his life. He forgets to put a lid on one of the pots, and the bubbles of boiling water almost spill out and overflow.

“Why don’t you just focus on preparing your smoothie?” Hyeongjun says, holding back his laughter. 

“You mean the one that’s gonna taste better than yours?” Minhee jokes back. 

“That’s still up for debate!”

Finally, their dinner and drinks are prepared, and the two get seated at the kitchen table. 

“Should we taste the smoothies now?” asks Hyeongjun.

“I was thinking we save the best for last,” Minhee answers.

“By best you mean _my_ smoothie, right?”

“Calm down, you haven’t even tasted mine yet!”

The two go back to finishing dinner, and once both of their bowls are empty, they exchange smoothies.

“I present you with a lemon blueberry smoothie,” Hyeongjun announces, doing his best to mimic a cooking show contestant. “With a hint of ginger and lemon for an extra kick!” 

Minhee takes a sip of the purple drink and gives him an approving thumbs-up. _“Way_ better than the one you gave me this morning. As for you, Chef Hyeongjun, I have a banana berry smoothie with some other fruits to make it _extra_ sweet just for you.”

Hyeongjun reaches for the glass, and the sugary, fruity taste explodes in his mouth. Minhee raises his eyebrows at him as he watches. “Well?”

“That tastes _really_ good,” Hyeongjun murmurs.

“What was that?” Minhee gloats. “I didn’t quite hear.”

“It tastes really good.”

“So does this mean I won?”

“I’m not answering that.”

“Ooh, you’re pouting!” Minhee points out teasingly. “Hah, looks like _I’m_ the new smoothie master!”

“Fine, you win!” Hyeongjun sighs defeatedly.

“Yes!” Minhee exclaims as he does a little dance in his seat. 

“I should have just had you stay at a hotel!” Hyeongjun complains.

“Why, you can’t handle being in the presence of the new smoothie master?”

“No, because then I wouldn’t have to put up with you all day!”

“Hey, you had fun with me around, didn’t you?”

Hyeongjun smiles faintly to himself as he looks at Minhee. “Yeah, I did,” he says dreamily.

The conversation ends there, and the two go back to sipping their smoothies. 

“I’ll do the dishes,” Minhee says once they’ve finished. He reaches across the table to collect Hyeongjun’s plate and utensils, but the latter frowns at him.

“You’re staying as a guest. You shouldn’t have to worry about cleaning up.”

“And _you_ shouldn’t have to worry about letting a stranger spend the weekend.”

“Who said I was worried?”

Minhee freezes momentarily, giving him a curious, slightly perplexed look, before replacing it with a soft smile. “You already took care of me, and I feel bad about not helping cook dinner. The least I could do is take care of the dishes.” He grabs their dinnerware and swiftly heads to the sink before they can argue any more. 

Hyeongjun chuckles to himself. He’s only known Minhee for a day, but he could already tell the former best man is the stubborn type, the type to hold his ground until he got what he wanted. 

_But if that’s the case,_ Hyeongjun thinks to himself as he observes Minhee, _Why was he so devastated the night of the wedding?_

He feels awkward sitting at the table and watching him, so he decides to get up and head to his apartment's balcony. The drunken conversation from the night before replays in his mind as he looks down at the city lights. 

_“It hurts. It hurts so much.”_

It occurs to him that since waking up, Minhee hasn’t brought up Jungmo again. Hyeongjun concludes Minhee is also the type to keep to himself. 

“Boo!” calls out a voice from behind him. Startled, Hyeongjun jumps at the sound of his voice before whipping his head around and sulking at Minhee’s antics. An amused Minhee laughs wholeheartedly as he makes his way to the railing alongside Hyeongjun. 

“How were the dishes?” Hyeongjun asks, only to immediately regret uttering such a nonsensical question.

Minhee doesn’t seem to find the question unusual, because he smiles warmly before amicably answering. “It was an honor to do your dishes.”

“Well, it was an honor to not do them for once. Maybe I should let you stay more often.”

“Maybe you should.”

They quickly go quiet, silently standing side-by-side as they continue to look down the city's view. The grapefruit-colored moon sits above the red, yellow, and green glow of the infinite traffic lights while the dissonant hum of unorganized traffic and casual chatter rings throughout the concrete streets. 

“Wow,” Minhee says in awe, “This is a great view. It must be nice being able to watch the life of the city every night.”

“Actually, I don’t go out here a lot if I’m honest,” Hyeongjun admits quietly. 

“Why not? It’s a beautiful sight.”

Hyeongjun rests his arms against the railing and takes a deep breath. “I don’t like being here by myself. It gets lonely.”

“You have the whole city below your balcony. How is that lonely?”

“Because I’m watching all these people pass by hand-in-hand while I’m up here by myself,” he says sadly.

Minhee shifts closer to him and holds his hand out. “Well, now, you have me.”

Hyeongjun delicately wraps his fingers around Minhee’s, and everything fits perfectly into place, just like how his hand fits perfectly into Minhee’s. They stop talking again, but he doesn’t mind. For the first time, he enjoys the silence. 

That’s another thing Hyeongjun noticed. When he was by himself, silence was unbearable, and all it did was remind him of how lonely and unloved he was. 

With Minhee around, silence was something he could luxuriate in. Somehow, Minhee had a way of making him feel wanted without having to say a single word. 

Moments later, Minhee pipes up. Even though Hyeongjun was enjoying the mellow atmosphere, he anticipates what Minhee has to say. “Can I tell you something stupid?” he says, briefly looking down at their intertwined hands. Hyeongjun keeps quiet and nods at him to keep going. 

“I was _dreading_ this weekend. I knew that once the ceremony was over, I’d probably spend the next few days wallowing around doing nothing. But I didn’t. We didn’t do much, but going out, cooking together, seeing who could make the better smoothie, and sharing a meal was lovely. I had a great weekend, and it’s all because of you.”

“It was no problem.”

“Hyeongjun, can I ask you something?”

“Be my guest. I mean, you already are a guest here, but you know what I mean.”

“Why did you take me home and let me spend the weekend?” Minhee asks.

Hyeongjun shrugs. “You needed someone to take care of you.”

“Yeah, no kidding. By the way, sorry about last night.”

“Minhee, you were drunk, it’s fine.”

“But I was unhinged and overstepped my boundaries. Like, proposing to a complete stranger? That’s so awkward and embarrassing! Not to mention, I overstayed due to the whole situation with my car getting towed.”

“For the last time, it’s okay. You letting your guard down and allowing me to take care of you is more than enough. Trust me, it’s the least I could have done for you.”

“Hyeongjun?” 

“Yes, Minhee?”

“Whoever ends up with you in the future is going to be extremely lucky,” he says whimsically.

Hyeongjun’s breath stops, and he clutches Minhee’s hand even tighter as last night’s events flash in his mind. 

“I have a question for you too,” he blurts out hastily, stringing the words together in a barely comprehensible sentence. 

“Ask away.”

“What would you do if I said yes to your proposal?”

—

_[future]_

“Thanks so much for meeting with me.”

“Of course. So, why the sudden meet-up?”

“Did Jungmo tell you already?”

“You know he can’t keep a secret to save his life.”

“So you know?”

“About you wanting to propose to Hyeongjun? Is that why you wanted to talk?”

“Yes, it is. I mean, I talked to Jungmo about this a few days ago, but, I don’t know, I still had so many questions and uncertainties. I needed to hear another point of view, and you felt like the right person to come to about this.”

“I’m listening.”

“What if he says no? I mean, yes, he keeps dropping hints about marriage, but what if I’m reading the signs wrong, and all of this leads up to him saying no?”

“Minhee, are you serious?! He’s not going to!”

“See, that’s exactly what Jungmo said!”

“Because he’s right! He’s always right about this kind of stuff; that’s one of the reasons I married him. But what makes you think he’s going to reject you?”

“I guess I’m just used to rejection, that’s all.”

“Minhee—”

“I know, I know, I’m just acting crazy, but I can’t help it. The first time I was rejected, it ripped me apart to shreds and crushed all these dreams I had kept secret. But Hyeongjun? 

I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way about anyone. How could I not? I mean, I never anticipated falling in love so rapidly and so easily, especially considering how broken I was at the time. 

The morning after we first met, he gave me a hangover cure. 

Afterward, he spent the rest of the weekend showering me with the affection and compassion I was craving for. I’m sure you know this by now, but I’m usually not one to talk about my feelings. However, something about Hyeongjun made me feel safe and comfortable enough to just pour everything out. And he didn’t laugh or belittle me. He just listened. He listened, and—I don’t know—for the first time in a while, it felt like someone genuinely cared for me. We were still strangers back then, yet he somehow managed to save me from drowning in a pool of regret. 

I was really messed-up after your wedding, and I doubted that I’d ever find the same true love that you and Jungmo had. The love you guys had seemed like a rarity that only appeared once-in-a-lifetime, and I was paralyzed with this fear that I had missed my chance. 

Little did I know, my chance just hadn’t come yet. That was until I met Hyeongjun. 

Hyeongjun was my heartbreak cure. 

You know, when Jungmo first told me about you, he said even though you guys had just met, he could see his future play out with you by his side.

That’s exactly how I felt that first weekend at Hyeongjun’s.

I said this in my speech back then, but I’ve always believed in soulmates. Hyeongjun is mine; he has to be. Why else would I feel so connected to him from the start?

I really don’t know what I’d do with myself if he says no.

Which is exactly why I’m talking to you today. I need to know what to expect. Tell me, Woobin, what made you say yes to Jungmo’s proposal?”

“I wasn’t going to say no under any circumstance.”

“It was always a yes?”

“Always.”

“Tell me more.”

“The thing is when you love someone— _truly_ love them—the word ‘no’ out of the question when it comes to this kind of stuff. You’re not hesitant or reluctant to say yes. In fact, you start _anticipating_ proposals, whether it be moving in together, starting a family, or getting married.

After watching you and Hyeongjun for the past two years, I can confidently say he is unconditionally in love with you.

Hyeongjun is always looking at people, observing, and analyzing them. But when he watches you, it’s a different type of look.”

“A good kind of different?”

“The best kind of different.” 

“What do you mean?”

“When he looks at you, he’s not just trying to make sense of who you are. No, it’s deeper than that, almost indescribable. I feel like Hyeongjun was looking for something, but I think he found it when he met you. That’s the best way I can describe the way he looks at you.”

“So, he’ll say yes?”

“Like I said before, ‘no’ is out of the question. Something tells me he always wanted to say yes. He’s just waiting for you to ask.”

—

_[present]_

“A-Are you saying you want to marry me?” Minhee stammers, completely taken aback by Hyeongjun’s question. 

“Not necessarily. We just met after all,” Hyeongjun clarifies. “But hypothetically, if I did accept your proposal, what would you do?”

Minhee drops Hyeongjun’s hand and tightly wraps his trembling fingers around the cold metal railing. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs anxiously, “But I can’t give you the answer you want.”

“I wasn’t looking for a specific type of answer.”

“You wouldn’t get it.”

“Try me.”

Minhee purses his lips and lets out a defeated sigh. “It’s not fair to unpack all of that on you.”

“If it makes you feel better, I don’t know anything about Jungmo.”

“How do you know I was talking about—I blurted it out while I was drunk last night, didn’t I?”

“You did. Now that we’re here, you might as well let it all out.”

Minhee is about to say something, but he hesitates and stares at the city’s skyline. 

“You’re not one to talk about your feelings much, are you?” Hyeongjun says. 

“Is it that obvious?” Minhee chuckles softly. 

“When you’re always by yourself watching other people, you get really good at observing others.”

Minhee takes one final breath before allowing himself to finally release all the emotions he’s been bottling up. He’s like a shaken-up soda can and now seems like the right time to finally let everything inside him spew out. 

“My life has been filled with a lot of ‘maybe’s’ these past few months,” he croaks. “I keep thinking, maybe, just maybe, if I chased after him and confessed, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Minhee closes his eyes and swallows the tightening lump in his throat. “I couldn’t have. It wouldn’t have been fair to him.”

Hyeongjun remains silent, waiting for Minhee to collect his thoughts and continue. 

“I’m usually not like this,” he explains. “I usually don’t back down and give up so easily. If I really wanted to, I could have objected to the wedding. I had the power to whisper poisonous thoughts into Jungmo’s ear until his mind was tainted with worry. One flying phrase of doubt from my end could have gotten the whole wedding canceled. Hell, if I was stubborn enough, I could have driven Woobin out of his life years ago and have Jungmo to myself. Jungmo trusts me that much; we’re best friends after all. 

But doing all of that would have come at a cost. 

It would have cost Jungmo a lifetime of happiness with someone he truly loved.

I could _never_ take that away from him. So, I stepped down, bit my tongue, and held back my feelings so Jungmo would have the chance to live with his soulmate. After all, he would do the same for me. 

It also wouldn’t be fair to have a vendetta against Woobin when he did nothing wrong. In fact, he’s only done the _right_ things. He’s perfect for Jungmo, and I couldn’t ask for a better husband for my best friend. I’m confident he’ll look over him dearly, and I’m not worried about their relationship at all. 

Despite that, there’s still this evil, nagging part of me that won’t go away, and I _know_ why it won’t go away.

It’s because even after all of this, I still can’t get over him.”

“I’m sorry,” Hyeongjun whispers.

Minhee shakes his head at him. “It’s not your fault. It’s my fault for not doing anything about this mess.”

“You said so yourself,” Hyeongjun says reassuringly. “Any other action would have resulted in all hell breaking loose. You did the right thing by letting him go.”

“Then why does everything hurt so much? Why won’t it stop? I just want everything to _stop.”_ Minhee’s breath hitches, and he feels like a can of soda again, ready to combust into a mess of flowing tears.

“I know that exact feeling,” Hyeongjun answers.

“You’ve been in love with the groom too?” Minhee says in a self-deprecating tone.

“No, I think that’s just you,” Hyeongjun says jokingly. ”What I mean is, I know what it’s like to want everything to stop.”

“It sucks, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, it does. 

It sucks when you spend the past three years bartending at wedding after wedding. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a nice gig, and I love what I do. But after a while, you start to feel sorry for yourself. 

I always thought it was unfair. I know I’m overreacting but—I don’t know—weddings are _awful._ At least, it’s awful being stuck watching them. 

I was stuck watching people from the bar, wondering what it felt like to fall in love with someone. 

When you’re always watching everyone else, you can’t help but think, if it’s so easy for the rest of the world, then why am I _still stuck here by myself?_ Why can’t this persistent feeling of loneliness and inadequacy and fear just _stop_ and evaporate?”

“I guess both of us just want to be the groom for once,” Minhee whispers wistfully.

“That’s a depressing way to put it,” Hyeongjun chuckles cynically. “We have a lot in common for two people who only just met.”

“I was thinking the same. It’s weird. I don’t know why, but it’s so easy to talk to you.”

“You know, after each wedding, I leave feeling alone. This is the first time I went home, not feeling that way. It’s the first time in a while I had someone to listen to.”

“It’s funny because I’ve never had someone to just listen to me while I ramble. That’s why I held everything in.”

“I’m glad you got the chance to let everything out.”

“I’m glad you brought me home with you and gave me the chance.” 

Hyeongjun doesn’t answer. Instead, he turns towards Minhee and looks up at him. Two things are twinkling in his eyes right now: the reflection of the orange moon, and that same longingness from that morning.

Minhee unexpectedly grabs onto Hyeongjun’s shoulders and pulls him close. They’re so close together that even though it’s nighttime, Hyeongjun can still count the small freckles dotted across his cheeks. His heart pounds faster and faster as he continues to fixate on Minhee’s unreal features. 

_No wonder I couldn’t stop myself from kissing you on the forehead last night._

“What did you just say?” Minhee says, startled.

_You said that out loud, didn’t you? Why, why, why, why! Why did you confess to that out loud?_

_Congratulations, Song Hyeongjun, he probably thinks you’re downright deranged!_

“Nothing!” Hyeongjun says frantically, stepping back from him. “I didn’t say anything!”

Minhee goes quiet, and despite the darkness, Hyeongjun can tell his eyes are wide, and his ears are turning red, an obvious tell that he heard him clearly. He glances at the view below him and mentally calculates how long it would take for him to hit the sidewalk if he jumped off at this very instant. 

Silence had always been comfortable whenever Hyeongjun was around Minhee. But for the first time since he came over, he wants to pull his hair out and scream to interrupt the taunting tranquility. 

After some time, Minhee clears his throat before turning towards him again. “So I wasn’t dreaming?”

“What?”

“I thought it was just some drunken delusion,” he murmurs, “But you really did kiss me the other night?”

“You know what!” Hyeongjun exclaims hurriedly, desperately wanting to escape the embarrassing encounter. “It’s getting _very_ late, and we have to pick up your car first thing in the morning, so we should probably head off to bed!”

“Hyeongjun?” Minhee steps closer to him, and he has a stern expression on his face. “Can we talk about this?”

“Nope! Good night, Minhee!” he calls out before dashing inside and locking himself in the bathroom. A few minutes later, he hears footsteps approach, immediately followed by soft knocking, but he refuses to unlock the door. 

Another knock. No response on Hyeongjun’s end. A heavy sigh, then more footsteps headed away from the bathroom door and towards the bedroom. 

Hyeongjun spends the next hour, clenching his fists while he stares down his reflection in the bathroom mirror. 

Once he’s certain Minhee has dozed off, he surreptitiously tip-toes to the living room before collapsing on the couch in agony. 

Just like the night before, Hyeongjun is restless. Instead of sleeping, he stares at the ceiling and wonders if he’ll go back to sitting by himself at his kitchen table for two once the weekend ends. 

Minhee and Hyeongjun don’t exchange a single word the next morning. 

That same dread Hyeongjun felt yesterday morning is back, only this time, it doesn’t go away once Minhee sits down for breakfast. It continues eating away at him, and eventually, he loses his appetite. He wordlessly excuses himself, leaving Minhee alone at the kitchen table while he tosses his uneaten breakfast in the garbage.

The drive to pick up Minhee’s car is also silent. From his peripheral, Hyeongjun can see Minhee chewing on the inside of his cheek. Sometime during the drive, he lets out a regretful sigh. Despite his visible frustration, he doesn’t attempt to start a conversation. 

Eventually, they arrive at the towing company. The exchange is quick, and after talking with the employees for ten minutes, Minhee has his car back. Once he has his keys, Hyeongjun walks with him to his car. 

“Hey—um—thanks for this weekend,” Minhee says before getting inside.

“It was no problem,” Hyeongjun says. “I had a good time.”

“So, I guess this is goodbye?”

“I guess so.”

“Goodbye, Hyeongjun.”

“Goodbye, Minhee.”

_Goodbyes are inevitable._

Hyeongjun forces himself to not look back as they depart in opposite directions. He knows this is for the best; after all, he told himself everything would go back to normal once he dropped off Minhee.

Unfortunately for him, normalcy was lonelier than ever. 

He turns on the ignition, ready to head home by himself how he usually would. The dread from that morning is still consuming him from the inside.

_How is it possible to miss someone I just met?_

Just as he’s about to pull away from the curb, he sees a tall figure running towards him. 

_You’re going insane, you know that Hyeongjun? Now you’re just imagining things._

_For the last time, Minhee leaving was inevitable._

He shakes his head at himself before shifting gears and preparing to drive off, but the person running calls out to him, begging him to stay parked.

Minhee. 

_I’m not imagining?_

A few seconds later, Minhee is knocking on Hyeongjun’s car window, hunched over and out-of-breath.

“What are you doing?” Hyeongjun interrogates as he rolls down his window. 

“I need you to do what you do best,” Minhee says. “I’m going to go on a tangent, and you’re going to listen, just like you did last night. Okay?” 

There’s an urgency in his voice: an urgency to get something out of his system.

“Okay.”

“This is completely out-of-the-blue,” he says exasperatedly, “But you ran out of the balcony last night, so we never got the chance to talk about _us.”_

“What’s there to talk about?” Hyeongjun sighs dismally. “There’s nothing between us. There is no _us.”_

“Don’t play games with me, Hyeongjun. I know it was just one weekend, but you can’t deny everything changed when you took me home.”

“You’re right, things did change. But like you said, it was just one weekend, and everything will revert back to how it was once you get in your car and drive back home.”

“Why do you think I got out of my car and ran back to you instead?”

Minhee is the stubborn type, the type to hold his ground until he got what he wanted, and he was making that very evident to Hyeongjun right now. 

“Look,” he says firmly, “I’ve already spent the weekend. Plus, I definitely owe you one for vomiting all over you, taking me home, dealing with my rants about the wedding, and proposing to you while drunk.”

“Where are you going with this?” Hyeongjun asks curiously. 

“I don’t want this to be goodbye,” Minhee blurts out. “Last night, I told you how I wanted everything to stop. But _this_ —whatever is going on between us—is an exception to that. No, I _refuse_ for whatever we started two nights ago to suddenly end here.”

The corner of Hyeongjun’s lips curls up into a subtle smile. “I’m listening.” 

“You asked what I would do if you said yes to my proposal,” Minhee continues. “The thing is, I don’t know what I’d do. But I’d like to. I’d like to get to know you. I’d like for you to continue to take care of me. Let’s just be spontaneous, keep this is going, and we’ll see where we end up from here. Maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll end up down the aisle. Even if we don’t, at least you’ll have the honor of having someone do the dishes for you. So, Song Hyeongjun, will you—”

“Don’t tell me you’re proposing again,” laughs Hyeongjun.

“I’m not. Well, I was going to propose something, but it wasn’t a marriage proposal.”

“Let’s hear it.” 

“Song Hyeongjun, will you go to lunch with me some—”

“Yes.”

—

“You did it,” Hyeongjun whispers to himself, glancing at the silver ring wrapping his finger. The design is exactly what he had envisioned: simply elegant. Of course, he didn’t let Minhee know that; it would only inflate his ego. 

_“Is the ring okay?”_

_“Eh, I’ve seen better.”_

_“You’re acting coy again, aren’t you, Song Hyeongjun?”_

_“I said yes, didn’t I?”_

_“So you actually accepted? I’m not dreaming again?”_

_“You aren’t, Minhee.”_

_“We’re getting married?”_

_“We’re getting married.”_

He looks at the mirror, and his reflection is proudly beaming at him as he adjusts his boutonnière. For once, he doesn’t feel like punching the glass. 

Back at the reception, Minhee is waiting for his new husband ( _husband_ —he loved calling him that!) to return from the bathroom. While waiting, he treats himself to sips of champagne as he mingles around and converses with guests. 

“I really can’t thank you two enough,” he says to Woobin and Jungmo. “There’s no way I would’ve been able to get through everything without your guys’ support.”

Woobin shakes his head at him. “We didn’t do anything,” he says. “This was all you.”

“I can’t believe you actually pulled it off,” chuckles Jungmo, lightly punching Minhee in the arm.

Minhee rolls his eyes at him. “What, did you think I was going to chicken out or something?” 

“No, I always had faith in you,” Jungmo says with fake sincerity, taking a sip of his drink to hide his smile.

“He’s lying,” Woobin chimes in, swirling his glass of champagne. “On the way here, he asked me how much I want to bet you were going to pass out at the altar!”

“Snitch!” Jungmo hisses, using his elbow to jab his husband. 

“Koo Jungmo, you are the worst best man!” Minhee snorts.

“I wouldn’t say I’m the _worst._ Besides, we’re two hours into the reception, and I’ve managed to avoid puking on the dance floor.”

“Woobin, are you going to let your husband talk to me like that?”

“He does have a point.”

At that moment, Hyeongjun returns from the bathroom and automatically clings onto Minhee’s arm. “What are we talking about?”

“The time Minhee threw up all over you at my wedding,” Jungmo answers.

Minhee gives him a death glare before turning to Hyeongjun. “Promise me we’ll never schedule a double-date with these two.”

“Sure,” Hyeongjun says, stifling back a laugh. 

“So, are you ready for our first dance?” Minhee asks. 

“Depends.” Hyeongjun eyes the glass in his husband’s hand before asking, “How many drinks have you had tonight?” 

“Only two glasses of champagne, why?” Minhee answers before taking another sip of the fizzy drink. 

“Just making sure you won’t hurl all over my shoes again!”

Jungmo and Woobin laugh at Hyeongjun’s little quip, and the three of them toast while Minhee pouts at their mockery. 

“Why does everyone keep bringing that up!” he whines. 

“Why not!” snickers Hyeongjun. “Anyway, are you going to be sulky for the rest of the night, or are you going to dance with me?”

Minhee pretends to be annoyed with him, but he grabs hold of his hand and leads him to the center of the dance floor anyway.

“You know, I used to wonder what it feels like to levitate,” Hyeongjun whispers during their romantic waltz. “To float above the rest of the world in your own little bubble. But now, I know.” 

“Let me guess,” Minhee says flirtatiously, “It feels like this?”

Before Hyeongjun can answer, Minhee kisses him lightly, and he feels like he could float forever. 

The festivities end a little after midnight and the newly-weds head home to their new apartment. They only recently moved in, so the interior is mostly empty, with some unpacked boxes shoved against the living room walls. It’s going to be a pain to organize everything and settle in. Nevertheless, the two are excited to begin the rest of their lives as a married couple. 

Of course, they already set up the kitchen table—Hyeongjun was adamant about fixing up the dining area once their bedroom was set up. 

The two sit across from each other, indulging in the serenity of the comfortable silence.

“Hey, Hyeongjun?” Minhee says moments later. 

“Yes, Minhee?”

“I want everything to stop again.”

“Ouch.”

“No, I didn’t mean it in a bad way!”

“I know, I’m just teasing.”

“I meant…” He pauses for a second and contemplates what he wants to say before continuing. Then, he looks straight into Hyeongjun’s eyes with that familiar longingness. “I want everything around us to stop, so I can stay in this moment with you forever.”

“Then let’s stay.” 

Minhee reaches across the kitchen table and gives his hand a loving squeeze. Once again, Hyeongjun feels like he’s levitating.

He finally found someone to fill the empty chair at his kitchen table and the empty hole in his heart, and he couldn’t imagine a more perfect person than his husband, Kang Minhee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hngnergenf i kinda forgot this fic existed so sorry for taking two months to update it but it's here!! Ty for anyone who waited and I hope the ending was worth the wait :)
> 
> Also stream Flame and the rest of Hideout S2!


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